Uncategorized – Plant a Tree, Clean the Air

2018 Fall Festival at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

October 14th, 2018 at the Danada Equestrian Center, Wheaton, IL

We started early & didn’t stop ’til we ran out of trees!

We started handing out sugar maple seedlings at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s 2018 Fall Festival about a 1/2 hour before the event opened. The trees were larger than last year, as they had had an extra year to grow. It was also was easier than expected to dig them up due to the heavy rains several days before which had softened the soil. Because of that, some of these trees had all their roots intact and some of these roots were 2-3 feet long! I think they should all do very well if planted right away and according to the Planting Directions.

Another 100 trees given away!

This photo came in the day after the event…

Looks like this family did a great job planting!

They found a good spot
Planted their tree right away
Used mulch
Even used a protective wire wrapping. Great idea! Really helps keep lawn mowers at a safe distance.
My favorite things: the smiles and the red sneakers! Soooo cute. 🙂
And what a beautiful tree, too!
If you got a tree, please send me a photo of it planted! I would love to see it. (info@thesandymapleseedproject.com)

The happy gentleman below was our very first “taker” at this event. This is always a special moment for me because it shows that people really are going to take trees home and plant them so all our hard work has been worthwhile.

All in all, it was a wonderful crowd, just like last year. Many people stopped by our booth and told us about the tree that they got from us last year or even the year before. Their trees were all doing well except for one, where the tree was run over by a mower.

We ran out of trees 2 hours before the event was over, so we could have found even more homes if we had more. I am encouraged that so many people are “getting it” about the value of trees and all the good that these magnificent living things do for us. Really, we can not live without them.

Judy and her little tree — What a great photo that Judy sent it! Looks like a wonderful spot and I am so glad to see the wire and what looks like mulch! Don’t worry that the leaves are turning and falling off. That is what deciduous trees do each fall! This spring, the little tree will bud out nicely with a brand new batch of leaves and then probably grow a foot or two throughout the summer. Good job, Judy!

This makes 8,000 to 10,000

While it is hard to count so many trees over so many years, I believe it is safe to say that I have given away at least 8,000 to 10,000 sugar maple seedlings and about a dozen oak trees as well.

While it has been fun and rewarding and definitely worth it, it has also been a lot of hard work and a bit expense (pots, signage, booth setup, etc)! Since I have run out of seedlings, it is with bittersweet feelings that I call this project successfully completed and say good-bye. I will leave this blog up in case it encourages others to be brave and try to do something on a personal level to help the Earth and the life-forms we co-exist with, but it is time for me to turn the page and start a new adventure.

Before I sign off for the last time…

My heartful thanks …

To everyone who got a tree, planted it, and are caring for it and teaching their kids to do the same.
To everyone who made a donation to help cover the costs.
A very special thanks to all my dear friends (Marie, Bonnie, Ann, Karsten, Rob), Steve Tiwald at the Green Earth Institute, Jim Kleinwachter at The Conservation Foundation, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, the Brownies, USBank, and countless others who helped in one way or another to dig, carry, hand out trees, or even just give much-needed advice and support. I could not have done this without each of you!
For this last event, special thanks to Bonnie, who worked by my side for 2 full days. You are awesome! I will send you a big bag of Epsom Salt so you can soak in a hot bath–you deserve it!)
To the Foresters of the City of Wheaton and the City of Naperville for taking some of the seedlings and planting them and for providing free mulch.
To the Veggie Fest folks and the DuPage Forest Preserve (especially
Wayne Zaininger) for generously letting me attend their events at no charge over the years!

Bye everyone and please remember to send some photos of your planted seedling! It will make my day! (info@thesandymapleseedproject.com)

A family works together to plant a new tree!

Allyce shared this adorable photo of her family working together to plant their seedling.

2017 Fall Festival at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Map

We had a really wonderful time again at the 2017 Fall Festival at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County! Here’s the map showing the location of where people will be planting:

Tree Planting Location from the 2017 DuPage Forest Preserve Fall Festival Event (click to view full size interactive map to find your dot) This is just a small portion of the entire map, so click above to see the full interactive version.

Click here to view an interactive version of the map.

Photo

Here are photos of some of the wonderful people who pledged to plant a tree:

Photos from people who planted a Sugar Maple Tree from Veggie Feist 2017

Here are some great photos and stories that people have sent in. They tell the story of the impact of the sugar maple seedlings better than I possibly could! Check back every so often, as I will add more photos at the end, as they come in.

First, I wanted to include this note from Phyllis B. because it really shows how good deeds can sometimes have a ripple affect!

Good morning Sandy, planting of Maple Trees is such a wonderful idea.  I gave my plant to a young lady and her to young sons.  I was standing in line and over heard her talking to her sons how she wish she had gotten one for them. (They were all gone)  I was planning to take my tree back to CA with me.  So instead I shared it with them.

Thank you,

Phyllis B.

Hi Sandy, We planted the maple tree the second we came home The kids couldn't wait and they are checking up on it everyday and watering it every other day Thanks a lot for teaching my kids to love the environment Have a lovely day Randa — Hi Sandy, We planted the maple tree the second we came home The kids couldn’t wait and they are checking up on it everyday and watering it every other day Thanks a lot for teaching my kids to love the environment Have a lovely day Randa.

They still have their tattoos from Veggie Fest!

We received the seedling on Saturday at the Veggie Fest and planted it the next day on Sunday. We planted it in our back yard in Naperville. We put chicken wire around it to protect it from the rabbits. ☺ Thank you! Lori — We received the seedling on Saturday at the Veggie Fest and planted it the next day on Sunday. We planted it in our back yard in Naperville. We put chicken wire around it to protect it from the rabbits. ☺
Thank you!
Lori

Planted in Morgan Park, Chicago, Sherilvon

Good morning!<br /> Here is the picture. My kids where so happy to plant it. <br /> Nurith — Good morning!
Here is the picture. My kids where so happy to plant it.
Nurith

Nurith, Thank you so much for the photos and the kind words! These are wonderful pictures and cute kids! Will post right away. Sandy — Nurith, Thank you so much for the photos and the kind words! These are wonderful pictures and cute kids! Sandy

Hello , thanks for the maple tree. Our seedling is planted in the back of our home in Hobson Oaks in Naperville, Illinois. In the future we hope it will provide shade and a beautiful orange canopy. — Thanks for the maple tree. Our seedling is planted in the back of our home in Hobson Oaks in Naperville, Illinois. In the future we hope it will provide shade and a beautiful orange canopy.
Joseph G.

It looks beautiful, Joe!
Sandy

I think it is going to thrive in our little forest area! Jane It certainly looks happy right now. Best of luck and thanks for planting a tree! Thanks! Sandy — I think it is going to thrive in our little forest area!
Jane

It certainly looks happy right now. Best of luck and thanks for planting a tree! Thanks!
Sandy

Joe planted his already!

Hi Sandy, Here’s our photo planted Memorial Day. Joe L.

Lookin’ good, Joe!

I like that little flower thing. Did you use it as a marker so no one runs over it by accident? If so, good idea!

Thanks for sharing. 🙂

What’s this about???

Ever heard of Johnny Apple Seed? Well, it’s sort of like that, but with seedlings instead of seeds and maples instead of apples.

I started giving away maple seedlings back in, oh, maybe 2005. That was a few years after my sugar maples had been particularly prolific and had produced a nice batch of “volunteer” seedlings which were growing happily.

Sugar maples were a large part of the reason I bought my house. The trees turn brilliant colors in the Fall, provide a cooling effect in the summer (it’s 10 degrees cooler under the shade of the maples than on my driveway). They let the warm rays of the sun through in winter time. They clean the air and give off an enormous amount of oxygen. They provide shelter for countless birds, squirrels, and all kinds of wildlife. So, the little seedlings were a welcome joy.

But everywhere around me, people were cutting down trees, clearing the way for more buildings, roads, sidewalks, cement, asphalt, and well, civilization I guess. It was sad. I watched. I felt hopeless. Then I started giving away my little trees to anyone who would promised to plant them. I posted on free sites and told all my friends. The first year, I probably gave away 30 or 40 trees. The next year, a bit more, and the next, a little more. Somehow, though, it seemed like it just wasn’t enough.

At first, everyone wanted the biggest trees which were 3 to 6 feet tall. But these did not survive transplanting as well as the smaller ones. The roots of sugar maples, like many trees, grow deep and strong. The bigger they are, the harder it is to get them up out of the ground without breaking the roots. And the bigger the hole you need to successfully plant them, too.

So, I decided to try something new… I potted up some 1′ to 2′ seedlings in tall, thin 32-oz paper cups (about the size of a small popcorn carton at the movies). These did much better. The tall shape accommodated the roots better. Once filled, the cups were easier to carry and handle, and much easier to plant properly. I donated these seedlings to plant sales, churches, and pet stores. I managed to give away about 200 or so. The Green Earth Institute in south Naperville took 6 or 7 dozen and raised about $100 in donations from them. Somehow, it still did not seem like it was enough.

This is one of the mature trees that the seedlings came from showing it’s fall colors.

This year, I had an idea…why not hand them out at VeggieFest! With 35,000 people expected to come from all over the Midwest, this would really extend my reach. So I called them up. The wonderful people at VeggieFest gave me a booth to hand out these free sugar maples. Then, a Boy Scout working on his Eagle Scout project volunteered to organize a crew to help with the potting and booth duty for event. So, this year is looking very promising!

If you can make it to VeggieFest, please stop by and say “hi” and take home a free baby tree! Or post a reply below and let me know how many you want. I’ll get them to you somehow! They are completely free, you just have to promise to plant them soon and water them a little the first year or so.

Wish me luck at Veggie Fest! Hope to see you there!

Thanks,

Sandy (aka “Sandy Maple Seed”)

Plant a tree and breathe easier!

Donations

Not expected, but always appreciated 🙂

A few kind people have said that they would like to make a donation to help cover the cost of cups, labels, signs, paper planting directions, etc.

If you would like to do so, just click on the Donate button at left.

Thank you in advance! Donations are not expected, but always appreciated. And they will certainly help me give out more trees!